7 DIY Fireplace Mantel Ideas to Create a More Stylish Focal Point

Upgrade your space with these stylish DIY fireplace mantel ideas.

Updating your fireplace is one of the most impactful projects you can do to refresh your living room. And there are almost endless DIY fireplace mantel ideas that let you upgrade the space without requiring a messy tear-out or expensive revamp.

A DIY mantelpiece can play a major role in the overall fireplace aesthetic. It's a key point of style, and it's also a place to display accessories, mementos, and decor. Take a look at the following budget-friendly DIY fireplace mantel ideas that will give your space an entirely new look without a significant investment. Plus you'll find a few helpful installation tips to pull off the project yourself.

Related: How to Paint a Brick Fireplace for an Updated Modern Look

DIY Fireplace Mantel Ideas

Ready to craft a new focal point for your living room? Use these DIY fireplace mantel ideas for inspiration.

1. DIY Floating Mantel

Floating mantels are mounted above the fireplace like a shelf without any visible legs or brackets. Source reclaimed wood for a rustic DIY floating mantel, or cut and stain lumber to your desired look. To install, mount a heavy-duty floating mantel bracket to the fireplace wall, or drive lag screws into wall studs, drill corresponding holes into the back of the mantel, and slide the mantel over the screws.

Related: How to Safely Hang Floating Shelves That Won't Budge

2. Decorative Molding

Diverse trim pieces can give a classic, traditional feel to an otherwise ordinary mantel. Shop your local hardware store for different styles of molding or trim to add to your existing fireplace. A simple update: install quarter round as a finishing piece on the mantel's underside.

3. Decorative Mantel Brackets

Consider adding even more style to your DIY floating mantel with brackets or small corbels. Brackets and corbels come in tons of styles and can be made from a variety of materials, including stone, wood, or iron. Installing them on the mantel's underside lends visual solidity to the fireplace.

4. Stone Mantel Top

A luxe stone fireplace is timeless, cozy, and a huge selling feature. If you can't add stone all-over, use it to create a mantel. A thin piece of marble, concrete, travertine, or granite lends a contemporary aesthetic to the fireplace. If you have a dark surround, consider a stone mantel in a light, neutral tone for a more airy feel.

5. Mantel Stain or Paint

Changing the color or stain on a rustic wood mantel can reveal patterns in the grain or help tie in with other wood pieces in the room. Paint is also a good way to repeat tones that appear elsewhere in the space, or to give the fireplace a more polished effect.

6. Fluted Mantel

Wood tambour or fluting can enhance a range of DIY fireplace mantel plans. Fluted wood is a major trend, and a little goes a long way. Use small fluted strips as a decorative border, or go big and use it to create a modern, chunky surround. If you're unsure about using natural wood near a wood burning fireplace, look for tile or stone options. Always review and follow local building codes when changing or adding material to your fireplace mantel and surround.

Related: 46 Mantel Decor Ideas That Make Your Fireplace a Focal Point

7. Repurposed DIY Mantel

We're all about reuse and recycle, and sustainability is the biggest trend of all. Create a DIY fireplace mantel using architectural salvage. Shop local estate sales, salvage yards, flea markets, or secondhand shops for discarded mantels or remnants. You can even use elements including found tin ceiling panels, iron scrolls, and thin metal or wood elements to dress up a mantel. Or craft a brand-new mantel using reclaimed wood.

Tips for Installing a DIY Mantel

1. Decide on size.

The first step for installing a new mantel is to consider the size and proportion. If you're replacing a mantel, it's easy to stick with the original mantel dimensions. However, if you're going to alter the size or start fresh with a new DIY mantel, you'll need to map out the measurements. Start by using painters tape to mark out the length and height of the existing mantel on the fireplace. Building codes vary (check yours for specifics), but generally, leave about a foot between the top of the fireplace box and the bottom of the mantel. Also, choose a length that's about double the fireplace box.

Tips

Creating a cardboard replica of your mantel can help you better judge the proposed mantel size.

2. Attach DIY mantel.

Attaching the DIY mantel securely to the wall requires sturdy support. Many mantels are connected to a backer that helps support the material. In many cases, you can attach the mantel to cleats, or pieces of lumber screwed securely into the wall. If you purchase your mantel material from a lumberyard or stone shop, ask about proper installation for the type of material.

Tips

Consult a fireplace installer, handyman, or construction company if you're unsure how to securely and safely attach the mantel.

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